The G3Wire

July 12, 2024

Washoe County elections were big in the news again this week.  Washoe County commissioners voted not to certify recount votes tied to the June Primary Election.  In an unprecedented 3-2 vote Tuesday, Republican Washoe County commissioners Clara Andriola, Mike Clark and Jeanne Herman chose not to make the results of two contested June 9 primary recounts official after an initial motion to certify the election failed.  Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar are asking the state Supreme Court to require Washoe County officials to certify recount election results.  Washoe County has also given notice they will be bringing this back for a reconsideration vote next week.  These Nevada news links and so much more below!

State and Local Government Updates

‘Cooler heads have prevailed:’ Commissioners to reconsider vote not to certify primary recount

ACLU Nevada executive director says clearer guidelines are needed, and the decision to reconsider the vote fuels election denialism. (The Nevada Independent)

AG asks Supreme Court to order Washoe County to certify recount results

Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said by not certifying the recount, the commissioners “failed to do their part in [the election] process under law.” (The Nevada Independent)

Plan for UNLV health building axed amid tension with development group

The plan collapsed after a souring relationship between UNLV and the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corporation. Two years ago, the groups celebrated the construction of a medical school building. (The Nevada Independent)

Clark County schools using the summer break to track down chronically absent students

The Clark County School District is expecting to see improvement with its chronic absenteeism rate based on preliminary data from the first semester of the 2034-24 school year. (The Nevada Independent)

WCSD, Trustee Jeff Church clash over legal fees amid pending lawsuits

The Washoe County School District and Trustee Jeff Church are locked in a dispute over who should bear the burden of covering thousands of dollars in legal costs amid two pending lawsuits. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Plan for UNLV health building axed amid tension with development group

Officials eyed a building to house UNLV’s mental health programs and an outpatient center. It fell apart because of disagreements between donors and the school. (The Nevada Independent)

State grants license to doctor who practiced without one

The medical director for the Nevada Department of Corrections has been granted a medical license by the state, almost a year after beginning work without a license, which is a minimum requirement for the job. (Nevada Current)

Vaccine nonprofit’s financial woes leave UNLV in hole

The university is contracting with the state to ensure it is made whole for vaccination outreach and research, among other services it provided. (The Nevada Independent)

Lombardo makes 30 appointments, including Kieckhefer and Reynolds

They include Ben Kieckhefer, Lombardo’s former chief of staff, to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Terry Reynolds, recently retired as the Nevada Department of Business and Industry director, to the Nevada Ethics Commission. (msn.com)

Nevada’s minimum wage going up to $12 an hour on July 1; two-tier system is out 

This increase comes after the passage of AB456, which increased the minimum wage by 75 cents annually over a five-year period. (The Nevada Independent)

UNLV cuts costs, pauses hiring–Short $9.6M, non-salary expenses sliced 25%

UNLV announced Friday it will reduce its operating budgets by 25 percent and implement a two-month hiring freeze to help alleviate a $9.6 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2025. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Far-right activist’s efforts galvanize Washoe County School Board races

Voter not only gave Washoe County School Board President Beth Smith another term, but they also voted down candidates backed by far-right activist Robert Beadles that she says are dangerous to the district. (The Nevada Independent)

Federal Updates

Nevada eligible for USDA grants to help states implement Summer EBT

Nevada is on track to distribute the $120 grocery benefit for each eligible school-aged child in mid-September as part of the new summer nutrition assistance program, known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer. The program was created by Congress in 2022. (Nevada Current)

U.S. Supreme Court sides with Oregon city, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Friday sided with a local ordinance in Oregon that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, and local governments will be allowed to enforce those laws. (Nevada Current)

NATO fretting Trump return–Europeans leaders look to safeguard alliance as Biden falters

WASHINGTON — Growing skepticism about President Joe Biden’s re-election chances has European leaders heading to the NATO summit in Washington confronting the prospect that the military alliance’s most prominent critic, Donald Trump, may return to power. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Federal funds flow to Northern Nevada for lithium workforce development

Lithium is a key piece of the administration’s economic theory — domestically producing a critical mineral to power the electrification of America’s energy grid that Biden wants to supercharge by 2030. (The Nevada Independent)

Supreme Court declines to rule on tech platforms’ free speech rights

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court sidestepped a definitive resolution Monday in a pair of cases challenging state laws aimed at curbing the power of social media companies to moderate content. (Las Vegas Sun)

Following Trump on abortion-Rather than outright ban, RNC platform says let states decide

MILWAUKEE — The Republican National Committee moved Monday to adopt a party platform that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Articles of Interest

Indy Gaming: Resort closures won’t change Vegas trajectory, analyst says

With 4,500 hotel rooms being removed from the Strip’s inventory, one gaming analyst said the changes bode well for the major hotel-casino operators. (The Nevada Independent)

Northern Nevada Legal Aid becomes first such organization in Nevada to unionize

Staff members of the nonprofit Northern Nevada Legal Aid, which provides legal services for immigration, guardianship and housing issues, among others, voted to unionize July 10. (The Nevada Independent)

Despite some progress, Nevada workers still aren’t protected from extreme heat

There are no regulations protecting workers from the leading cause of injury in Nevada: heat. Despite record-breaking heat across the state this week, Nevada still does not have enforceable heat regulations to protect workers from exposure to dangerous temperatures. (Nevada Current)

Nevada women of color more likely to earn less than $17 an hour, report finds

Hispanic and Black women in Nevada are more likely than any other demographic to make less than $17 an hour, according to data from Oxfam America.  (Nevada Current)

Reno-Sparks median home prices hover near record high at mid-year

The median home price for existing single-family homes in Reno and Sparks are within striking range of all-time records once again. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Median home price in Southern Nevada approaching record high 

The median price of an existing single-family home in Southern Nevada in June was $475,000, according to Las Vegas Realtors. That’s up 7.7% from a year ago and just shy of the record $482,000 set in May of 2022. Condos and townhomes sold at a median price of $295,000 in June, up 7.3%. (Nevada Current)

Southern Nevada delegation asks feds for 20-year mining ban near Ash Meadows wildlife refuge

On Tuesday, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto sent a letter to federal land managers, urging the Department of the Interior to implement a 20-year ban on new mining operations on public land surrounding the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, a critical wetland habitat that supports a dozen endangered and threatened species. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Las Vegas Hits 120 Degrees, Threatens Economy

Las Vegas broke the record for July 7. The mercury reached 120 degrees, breaking the 2017 figure of 116 degrees. It joins a small but growing list of large US cities that have become almost unlivable for part of the year. However, that period used to be counted in days per annum, which is changing. (msn.com)

Getting Nevada up to code–Housing industry stakeholders prioritizing energy efficiency

From solar panels on the roof to thick insulation in the walls and state-of-the art appliances, these homes are built with a focus on energy efficiency. Case in point: Solaris developer Touchstone Living uses extra-thick foam insulation to help keep the temperature down in the attic during sweltering desert summers. (Las Vegas Sun)

Aviators’ four decades in Las Vegas provided a road map for the Golden Knights

Some 28 minor league sports teams have come and gone in Las Vegas because they couldn’t replicate the Triple-A baseball team’s successful business model. (The Nevada Independent)

Valley’s water is hard, but effect soft

By all federal standards, the water we drink in Southern Nevada from the Colorado River is safe, according to water quality data released every year by water managers. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

RTC beefs up security presence

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada on Monday increased the number of security officers to 300 across its transit system, which features 39 routes in Clark County. The number marks an increase of about 50 officers — and all of the guards will be armed. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

What happens to Biden’s student loan repayment plan now?

President Joe Biden’s new student loan repayment plan was hobbled Monday after federal judges in Kansas and Missouri issued separate rulings that temporarily blocked some of the plan’s benefits, leaving questions about its fate. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Finland buys 2 surveillance planes from Sierra Nevada Corp. for $174M

HELSINKI — Finland will procure two surveillance aircraft from Sparks-based Sierra Nevada Corp. for $174 million to patrol its long eastern border with Russia, the Finnish Border Guard said on Thursday. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Should gaming take advantage of the latest developments in cannabis?

The Justice Department made headlines when it took the unprecedented step of  moving forward with the removing cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, where it was listed alongside heroin, ecstasy, and peyote, and reclassifying it to Schedule III, a category reserved for substances with low abuse potential and accepted medical benefits. (Las Vegas Sun)

In historic ruling on presidential immunity, Supreme Court says Trump can be tried for private acts

WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump can be tried for any of his efforts to overturn his 2020 loss that were not taken in his official capacity, a decision that likely came too late for a trial to be completed before Election Day. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Michelle Obama lone Dem threat to Trump

President Joe Biden’s widely panned performance in Thursday’s debate with former President Donald Trump caused countless Democrats to call for a new nominee. BetOnline posted odds on hypothetical head-to-head presidential matchups for Trump against Democrats Michelle Obama, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Report: Biden shows limited focus each day

President Joe Biden is now dealing with some leakers and dissenters as White House aides are reportedly spilling on Biden’s cognition issues. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada officials take partisan sides on ruling

Nevada officials and parties — depending on their side of the aisle — either praised or condemned the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity Monday. The Nevada Republican Party called the ruling a success “for the rule of law and a restraint on Biden’s attempt to weaponize the justice system. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Oil refinery vies to buy more land near Tonopah

The shift away from fossil fuels out of concern over climate change has meant a slow march away from oil. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Election News

Important Dates

General Early Voting              October 19                  Days Until: 99

General Election                     November 5                Days Until: 112

Biden meets press, but questions still swirl

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden showed flashes of anger, defensiveness, boastfulness, and defiance as he declared Thursday that he would remain in the presidential race against former President Donald Trump. “I’m the most qualified person to run for president,” Biden said. “I beat him once, and I will beat him again.” (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Court asked to force Washoe to certify elections

Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar are asking the state Supreme Court torequire Washoe County officials to certify recount election results. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Gaffes fuel Biden concerns–President mixes up names at vital moment

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden downplayed concerns about his presidential campaign, but a series of high-profile gaffes during the NATO summit on Thursday renewed concerns about his age and acuity threatening his presidential campaign. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

DNC launches billboards in Nevada tying Trump to Project 2025

The Democratic National Committee is launching billboards in Nevada and other battleground states tying former President Donald Trump to Project 2025; it is the first paid media campaign from the group in battleground states this year. (The Nevada Independent)

Rosen ‘focused on my own re-election campaign’, declines to say if Biden should drop out

“There is a clear choice for voters this November between an administration focused on lowering costs for the middle class, standing up for democracy, and protecting reproductive rights, and Trump’s MAGA agenda that would ban abortion, cut Social Security and Medicare, and devastate hardworking families,” Rosen said. (The Nevada Independent)

Commissioner Clark pushes back as Washoe County vote recount heads to Nevada Supreme Court

Top state officials harshly criticized the Washoe County Commission on Wednesday for voting against approving ballot totals in a recount of two primary races and petitioned the Nevada Supreme Court to force the board to certify the recounted election results. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada is a battleground state – and may be a bellwether of more extreme partisanship

Over the course of Nevada history, no one party has dominated the state’s politics, and its electorate has remained surprisingly balanced in its political leanings. Since becoming a state in 1864, Nevada has had equal representation with its federal delegation: 14 U.S. senators from each of the major parties and 20 U.S. House members from each of the Democratic and Republican parties. (theconversation.com)

Brown backs balanced budget amendment and cutting trillions in federal spending

GOP Senate candidate Sam Brown would support cutting federal spending by at least 1% annually in order to balance the federal budget, according to previously unreported audio clips obtained by the Current of him on the campaign trail. “We have to reduce spending at some sort of percentage,” Brown said at a Sierra Nevada Republican Women’s luncheon in February. (Nevada Current)

Harris blasts Trump for Project 2025, defends Biden in Las Vegas event

During a campaign event in Las Vegas Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris slammed former President Donald Trump over his connections to Project 2025, a plan crafted by a right-wing think tank to dramatically expand presidential powers and restructure the federal government. (Nevada Current)

Lee, Horsford split on confidence in Biden as Democratic nominee

In a statement to The Nevada Independent, Lee said that she had “serious concerns” about the octogenarian — and that her fears have not been assuaged. (The Nevada Independent)

Washoe County commissioners vote not to certify primary election recounts

Washoe County Interim Registrar Cari-Ann Burgess told reporters that the matter now goes to the Nevada secretary of state.  In an unprecedented 3-2 vote Tuesday, Republican Washoe County commissioners Clara Andriola, Mike Clark and Jeanne Herman chose not to make the results of two contested June 9 primary recounts official after an initial motion to certify the election failed. (The Nevada Independent)

Washoe County Commission to reconsider certification of primary election recount

Considered the swing vote, Commissioner Clara Andriola said during Tuesday’s board meeting that her conscience and the many concerns raised by public commenters over a lack of confidence in the process had inspired her to vote against certification. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Washoe County commissioners vote not to certify primary election recounts

Washoe County Interim Registrar Cari Ann Burgess told reporters that the matter now goes to the Nevada secretary of state. (The Nevada Independent)

In Las Vegas, Kamala Harris defends Biden, vies for Asian American support

Vice President Kamala Harris once again defended President Joe Biden by contrasting him with former President Donald Trump’s “chaos, fear and hate.” (The Nevada Independent)

Jacky Rosen raises record $7.6 million in second quarter

The haul broke the record set by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) two years ago and builds off a record-setting $5 million raised in the first quarter. (The Nevada Independent)

Biden to bolster Black, Latino votes in Vegas visit next week

President Joe Biden is scheduled to make two appearances next week in Las Vegas, with speeches planned at the 115th NAACP National Convention and at the Unidos US Annual Conference to bolster the Black and Latino votes. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada Democrats back Biden.–Legislators cite nomination, actions in office

Biden, who is scheduled to visit Las Vegas to speak at multiple events next week, also doubled down on his commitment to stay in the campaign on Monday, citing the many Democratic voters who chose him as the party’s nominee during the presidential primaries. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Biden aide shuns Parkinson’s queries

 WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s top spokeswoman declined to say why a Parkinson’s specialist met multiple  times with the White House physician, but stressed that the president was not being treated for that or any other neurological diseases. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Indy Explains: Nevada’s laws on commercial addresses in voter rolls

A conservative law firm has filed two lawsuits in Nevada alleging commercial addresses have been included illegally on voters’ registrations. Nevada law outlines the rules for commercial addresses. (The Nevada Independent)

Harris: Election of our lifetime ahead–Rallying Black Dems, VP focuses on Trump

NEW ORLEANS — As President Joe Biden tries to revive his embattled re-election bid, Vice President Kamala Harris led a parade of Black Democrats who warned Saturday that the threat of another Donald Trump presidency remains the most important calculation ahead of November. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

State GOP leaders back vote-by-mail–Against it in principle, but it’s law now

Republicans haven’t won a presidential election in Nevada in 20 years, which Republican leaders blame in recent years on the state’s vote-by-mail laws. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

More House Dems join chorus asking Biden to bow out

More congressional Democrats are telling their leaders they want President Joe Biden to step aside as the party’s White House nominee, though deep party divisions remain at the start of a pivotal week for the president and his teetering re-election campaign. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada’s voter rolls are growing, yet experts forecast turnout to drop this fall

Both Republicans and Democrats have stressed the paramount importance of Nevada’s role in the upcoming presidential election, but several election watchers are predicting the Silver  State’s voter turnout will drop below 70% for November’s general election. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

State ballot what-ifs–Dems must name candidate by Sept. 3

One New York Times/Siena poll shows former President Donald Trump with a six-point lead. A CNN poll says most voters think Democrats would have a better shot of winning the presidency if someone other than Biden were running, with Vice President Kamala Harris performing better in a hypothetical matchup against Trump than Biden. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Washoe County primary: Judge hears arguments for, against hand recount in Paul White case

School board candidate Paul White seeks court intervention because he contends, he was harmed, according to his complaint, “based upon the distinct and documented possibility of the voting machines used to calculate vote totals do not accurately reflect the number of votes cast.” (Reno Gazette Journal)

Recount results for Washoe County primary races delayed; requests filed to stop process

The recount is being done for three candidates: Lily Baran for Reno City Council Ward 1, Mark Lawson for Washoe County Commission District 4 and Paul White for Washoe County School Board Trustee District G. (Reno Gazette Journal)

County hit with election lawsuit—Use of nonresident addresses alleged

Conservative organizations have filed several lawsuits challenging the Silver State’s election processes in advance of November, with the latest relating to commercial addresses they say they found in the state’s voter rolls. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Upcoming Fundraisers

Join Nevada State Democrats for an evening reception supporting

Female Majority PAC with

Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Majority Makers

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

5:00PM-6:30PM

Full Address to be provided 24 hours in advance

Las Vegas, Nevada 89109

RSVP Berrer@nvsenatedems.com

_________________________________________

Join Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager

for a fundraiser in support of

Heather Goulding for Assembly District 27
Thursday, July 25, 2024

5:30pm – 7:30pm
Laughing Planet – University of Nevada, Reno location
941 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89503

RSVP to Adam@TallacStrategies.com (rsvp appreciated but not required)